Lifting device



Nov. 27, 1928.

M. FALCO LIFTING; DEVI-GE:v

F1166. Dec. 24. '1926 LA?, R,

Nov. 27, 1928.

M. FALCO LIF'rING DEVICE F'led Dec. 24, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 q, Ew M Nov. 27, 1928.

3 Sheets-Sheet jffrr l Filed Dec. 24, 1926 V4 /41 Patented No'v. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES MICHAEL FALCO, OF CANONSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

LIFTING DEVICE.

Application led December 24. 1926*. Serial No. 156,774.

This invention refers to lifting devices and more in particular to a liftingdevice to be used in connection with a traveling crane for use in foundries, machine and assembly 5 Shops The primary object of this .invention is to provide a lifting device having articulated lifting hooks which may be bent=either inwardly or outwardly and which are adapted for distant-control"i' Another object of this invention is to provide articulated lifting hooks which are adapted to engage the object to be lifted .directly, that is without requiring the as sistance of special Hoor-men whose duty it is to properly place the hooks on the ob]ect. `A further object is to provide a lifting device having two sets of articulated lifting hooks which sets may be moved towards r away from each other by the saine man who operates the crane. Y

Additional features and advantages of this invention will be dealtv With in the course of the following description consi-deredin connection with the accompanying drawing forming aY part ofthis application and in which: y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my lifting device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2, but with one of the articulated lifting elements broken away and with the cable-protecting plates removed from the F articulated lifting-hook.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, of a cross-section taken substantially along line 1 4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sidev elevation fof one of the articulated lifting hooks, also shown on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through one of the cable-drums showing o`ne method of securing to said drums the cables used for operating the articulated lifting hooks.

Fig. 7 is a plaiiview of one of the coinponent blanks used in building up each 1ntermediate link of an articulated lifting hook.

Fig. 8 represents a longitudinal section taken through an electromagnetic gear shift'- 50 ing device used in the present embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 9 is a general view showing diagram: matically the use of my invention in connection with a traveling crane.

65 One of the principal features of `my invention resides in the novel construction of the articulated lifting hooks. Reference bcing had to the drawing, each articulated lifting-hook comprises a plurality of intermediatelink-ineinbers 1 which are connected together to forni a chain terminating at the lower end with a grab-finger 2. As shown especially in Figs. 3, 5 and 7 each link ineinbei', in the present embodiment of my invention, is built up of several blanks 3 made of steel plate ofy proper thickness to suit the maximum lifting loads. Each blank comprises a. body portion 4 having at one end a central and substantially semi-circular lug 5 and at the other end a semi-circular recess 6 adapted to accommodate therein a semi-cir cular lug of an adjacent link-member. rllhe various link-meinbers are hingedly connected together by means of pins 7 which engage' suitable holes drilled in the lugs 5. In order to allow for sufficient relative arcuate move- :ment between the connected links, the latter have all their'corners bevelled off as indicated by the reference number 8.

Mounted for rotation on pins 9 and placed between the blanks of the link-ineinbers are the cable-guide rollers 10 arranged in two or more sets of three rollers each disposed symmetrically on each side of the longitudinal center-line ofthe links. Spacer strips 11 are placed between the blanks to provide the necessary room for said rollers and their cables `Adjacent the upper endof said grab-linger are placed the end-rollers 16 disposed in proper relation to cooperate with the rollers on the intermediate links. The rollers 16 are practically stationary and serve to bring the 'lower ends of the cables 12` as near the outer edges of the grab-lingers as pos/sible in order to obtain the vgreatest leverage for vthe cables, as will be understood. The ends of the latter are fastened to the grab-lingeijg'in any suitable and desired manner, such as by pouring lead around them in pockets 17 formed in thegrabfinger.

The various blanks and spacer strips usedV in building up the link-members and the grab The grab-finger 2 is connected to the lower fingers are securely held together by means of through bolts or rivets 18 as indicated in Fig. 5. To protect vthe cables 12, plates 19 and 20 ma; be fastened on the link-members and the grab-fingers, respectively. Y

As stated before, the operating mechanism for the articulated lifting-hooks is adapted for distant control by the man operating the traveling crane. The mechanism shown'in the drawings consists of the following parts A frame member 21 comprising two parallel beams 22 securely mounted on the two end `members 23 is suspended to the swivel-hook 24 of the traveling crane 25, (of any suitable type) by means of cables 26 and hooks 27 (Fig. 9) engaging the apertures 28 .f provided in the upward extensions 29 of said to be described later. i platform are slidably mounted on the beams Jmi the'tWo housings 32 and As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 especially each housing has two machined openings or sli-des 34 which fit about the beams 22 and whereby said housings are properly gui-ded for longitudinalY movement thereon. On the underside of said housings are fastened by means ofbolts 35 the depending osts 36 the lower ends of which are suitab y shaped and provided with the proper p-in and eye .connections 37 y for hingedly fastening the top'ends of the uppermost link-members of the articulated lifting hooks. Upon these posts are securedI the guide-rollers 38 for the operating cables 12.'

The length of these posts depends on the local conditions and on the clearance required be.- t-ween the-underside of the frame-member 21 andthe articulated lifting-hooks, the latter being made up of only as few links as required to suit requirements.

Each lifting-hook is provided with two sets 0f operating cables 12 disposedl on each side of the longitudinal axis of the lifting hook, each set of cables serving to bend the articulated hook in one direction only.

Each upper end of the cables pertaining to the same lifting-hook is fastened in any de- .sired manner, such as shown in Fig. 6, in a circumferential groove 39 cut 1n a drum 140.

Therefore, each housing 32 or 33 has two such drums which are fastened on'a common shaft 41 running in suitable bearings 42 and 43 provided in the walls 44 and 45 of said housing.

These shafts and drums 'are actuated -by the motor 31Aby'1neans' of the'following mechamsm: f

Upon the inner end of the motor shaft 46 is fastened avlworm 47 which meshes with a worm-gear 48 secured on a counter shaft 49 rotatably mounted in bearing-supports 50 drive shaft by means of a forked shift-lever 56 of usual design which is fulcrumed upon a vertical support 57 bolted to the platform 30. Said lever is actuated by an electromagnetic device 58 to be described hereinafter.' l

'lhe worin-drive shaft 55 is rotatably mounted in bearings 59' provided in ,the upper part' ofthe bearing-supports 50. This shaft has on cach side of its central-portion cross-section and upon which are slidab-ly mounted the drive-Worms 6l which mesh with worm-gears 62 keyed or otherwise secured to the drum-shafts 41 and by 'which the drums may be rotated. The ends of the worm-drive shafts havel trunnions 63 rotatably supported in end bearings 64 which are mounted in the end-members 23.

The reason for making the shaft-extensions square in cross-section is the fact that, as stated above, the housings are slidably mounted on the frame 2l and that the drive-Worms must travel with said housing in order to maintain their engagement With the wormgears 62. q These square shaft extensions are supported by the housings 32 and 33 in the manner shown especially in Fig. 4. As shown therein, on each side of the housings are bolted the plates 65 having bearings 66 in which are mounted forl rotation the flanged bush- `extensions 60 which are preferably Square in Y ings 67 having square central apertures Y the. platform 30 is a support 68 having astuh-l shaft 69 upon which is'heldby means of a collar 70 the rotatably mounted ,spur gear 71 adapted to be engaged by the shift-gear 52. Said spur-gear meshes with another similar gear 72 secured upon a longitudinal'v spin-dle 73 positioned between the beams 22 and which is supported for rotation in bearings 74 secured t0 the nd-members-23 and also in a bearing 75 fastened centrally on 'the underside of the platform v30. Upon this spindle lim lll

are cut the left hand threads 76 and the right i' han-d| threads 77 `which respectively engage the accordingly threaded hubs 78 and 79 provided'on the cross webs 8 0 cast integrally with the housings 3.2-33.

. As will be understood, when the spindle 73,

is rotated in either direction, the housings will be moved in opposite directions along the frame 2,1 so that Athe spacing between Vthe groups of lifting hooks may be varied to suit the dimensions of the object to be lifted.

- Moreover, in order tov facilitaterthehanof course, be enlarged arbitrarily to suit the l dling of long but narrow objects, such 'as shafting, billets, rails, and so forth, it may be found desirable to dispose the lifting-hooks on one housing so that they may pass those on the other housing, to form substantially a closed loop underneath the lifted object. To this end, the lifting hooks on the housing 33 have been spaced suiieiently apart, in relation to-the longitudinal axis of the frame 21 to ena-ble said hooks to pass by the set of hooks on the housing 32. This is plainly indicated in Fig. 2 by the clearance 81. The latter may,

requirement of the trade.

As stated, the shifting of the shift-gear 52 is effected by means of the electro-magnetic device detailed in Fig. 8. This device comprises a hollow cylindrical casing 82 supported on the legs 88. Centrally disposed within the casing are the two electrical coils 84 and 85`having a central sleeve 86 of sufficient bore to receive the slidable magnetic cores 87 and 88 which are secured in proper .spaced relation upon -a central push-rod 89 terminating at one end with a clevis 90 in which is hingedly secured by means of a pin and eye connection 91 therear end of the shift-lever 56. The push-rod is guided for longitudinal reciprocating movement by the bearings 92 positioned in both end walls of the casing. The magnetic-cores are normally' held in the neutral position shown in Fig. 8 by means of the two coil-springs 93 and 94 disposed around the push-rod and between said cores and the end-wallsof the casing.

The solenoids 84 and 85 are electrically connected to an electrical power line 95 by means of. the pole changer 96 and the three wires 97, 98 and 99 terminating respectively with the contacts 97, 98a and 99?. p

Vhen the pole changer is in the position shown in Fig. 8, no current will pass through either one of the solenoids and the push-rod will occupy a neutral position which causes the shift-leverto place the shift-gear 52 into neutral position halfway betweenthe gears 53 and 71. If the pole-changer engages the contacts 97 a and 98, the electricalcurrent will energize the solenoid 84 with the result that the core 87 is drawn into said solenoid and the shift-lever rotated so as to bring the shift-- gear into engagement with the gear 53, Whereby the worm-drive-shaft 55 may be rotated by the motor 31. On the other hand,if the polechanger connects with the contacts 98a and 99a,the solenoid 85 will be energized and the shift-gear will be brought ,intov mesh with thev gear 71 to rotate the spindle 7 3 bythe It is,'of course, necessary that said motor be operated in either direction, and this could be effected, for instance, by placing in the circuit of the motor a reversing-switch of any desired typev (not shown) now rea-dlly available theltrade. This reversing-switch as well as the pole-changer 96 are'installed in the operators cab 100 of the crane 25 and connected to the motor and electro-'magnet by flexible electric cables.

The bending of the articulated liftinghooks requires a relatively very small winding of the cables 12, in fact less than a revolution of the cable-drun'is 61 will suilice. lSuch limited requirements predicate a close regulation in the operation of the electric motor and, to insure the proper stopping of the latter after the lifting-hooks have been properly bent, the motor is provided on the rear extension of its shaft 46 with a brake-pulley 101 whichis acted upon by the electro-mag netically operated brakc-shoes 102 of any desired commercialinalie. This brake would,

of course, he electrically controlled from the crane-cap, or it desired,automatically, 1n a or grease from the gear 72 and the bearing 75 falling onto persons or'merchandise below.

. From the above description, the operation of'my lifting-device will be readily understood and is as follows: It is customary `rin machine-shops and warehouses, etc. to lay the manufactured products not directly on the iloor but on floor timbers, the purpose being to leave a certain clearance between said floor and products to facilitate the passing` of the rope or chain-slings about the products, by means of which the latter may be hooked up to a crane. Assuming that an object 104 is to, be lifted by means of my device, the craneoperator will first bring his crane and the frame 21 directly over the piece to be lifted. Then, by properly operating the pole-changer 96 .and the reversing-switch (not shown) which controlsthe-motor, he will spread the yhousings. 32 and 33 sufficiently apart to enable the, now straight, lifting-hooks to come close to the sides of the piece under consider ation. This done, the crane-man will again operate the pole-changer 96 in order to mechanically connect the motor with the wormdrive-shaft 55 and rotate the same in the roper direction to cause the lifting-hooks to Eend under and engage Ithe object to be lifted. The latter may then be raised to any desired height and transferred Where-ver wantlue sults'by passing them over and under the rollers 10 in the manner plainly indicated in Fig.

5 in particular.

While I have illustrated and described herein the present and preferred embodiment of my invention, it may be found desirable after continued experience to make slight changes in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention, and I intend to include in this application all such variations as may be found profit-able and as fall Within vthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lifting device of the character de scribed, a plurality of links; means for hingedly connecting the links end to end to form an articulated lifting member; a plurality of rollers positioned within said links; cables guided by said rollers and engaging alternately the inner and outer perlphery thereof, and means for operating said cables. 2. -In a lifting device of the character described, a plurality of links; means for hngedly connecting the links end to end to form an articulated lifting member; a plurality of rollers positioned Within said links;

cables guided by said rollers and engaging al- MICHAEL FALCO. 

